Computers Battle in France, and the Dutch Win
Again

Computer bridge programs are
steadily improving. Most of
them use simulations, which help plan ahead in the bidding and play. The
seventh annual World Computer Championship was played in Menton, France,
at the end of June, and the winner, for the third straight year, was the
Dutch program Jack, now clearly established as the world's best. It is the
brainchild of Hans Kuijf, with Wim Heemskerk and Martin Pattenier as
collaborators.

Nine programs were in a preliminary round-robin, which was won by
Wbridge5 from France. The French entry seemed headed for a further victory
when it was 39 imps ahead with six semifinal deals remaining. But Bridge
Baron, an American program that won in 1997, surged ahead and snatched a
4-imp victory. Jack won the other semifinal by 86 against a Japanese
entry, Micro Bridge. Jack went on to win the final against Bridge Baron by
71.

Jack bids aggressively and showed it on the diagramed deal from the
semifinal round.

Two copies of the program bid independently, of course,
as partners. After an opening of one diamond by the Southern Jack, West
overcalled with one heart. The double by the Northern Jack was negative,
denying spades. This is a sensible alternative to the American style, in
which the double promises exactly four spades.

After South showed spades, North bid two hearts. This cue-bid suggested
game and asked for a heart stopper. The jump to three no-trump by South
was pushy, but North would have raised two no-trump to three.

West led a heart, and South made the right move by winning the first
trick with the ace. An inexperienced player might duck, but it was
virtually certain that East held queen-jack doubleton and that the suit
would block. West's fourth-best lead indicated that he, or it, held three
cards higher than the four, and he, or it, would not have led low from
king-queen-10.

The vulnerable overcall marked West with nearly all the missing high
cards, so South finessed the diamond jack successfully. The next move was
to cash the diamond king, with a low spade to follow. East played low, and
the finesse of the 10 drove out the king. Since the hearts were blocked,
the contract was safe and 10 tricks were assured. An unimportant 11th
developed after slight misdefense.

In the replay, the opposing North-South rested in two diamonds and made
just eight tricks. Jack gained 9 imps en route to victory. Next month Jack
will play in a tournament with human opponents. How will it fare? We shall
see.